Today's Topic--Freedom!

1 Peter 5:6-7
6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, 7 casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. (NASU)

“Be not anxious! Earthly possessions dazzle our eyes and delude us into thinking that they can provide security and freedom from anxiety. Yet all the time they are the very source of all anxiety. If our hearts are set on them, our reward is an anxiety whose burden is intolerable. Anxiety creates its own treasures and they in turn beget further care. When we seek for security in possessions we are trying to drive out care with care and the net result is the precise opposite of our anticipations. The fetters which bind us to our possessions prove to be cares themselves.” From The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Phil 3:19-21
20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; 21 who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself. (NASU)

What does it mean to be free? That isn't really a rhetorical question.

In America we talk of "Freedom" as if it is a birthright or an entitlement. We all want our "rights" protected so that we can pursue whatever petty little thing it is that makes us feel better. We are all part of at least one special interest group that insists it is being neglected, overlooked, mistreated, or offered second class status.

We fight and we argue about "our" stuff. I've even heard this language in Christian communities: "I left that church because they weren't meeting 'my' needs."

Yeah, that's why God created this community--so that "I" could be the center of attention, right?

Is this really freedom?

I mean, look around us--we are tied to our cares and our anxieties, we are chained to our possessions and our passions. We run around anxiously trying to protect the very things that often hold us in the very chains of bondage.

Why do we do that?

Why do we think that a new job, spouse, haircut, car, movie, boat, home, location, government, church, relationship, etc. will free us into the blissful realm of happiness?

I don't know that I can answer that, but I know a remedy.

HUMILITY

It doesn't come cheap, and it isn't easy to maintain, but humility will help us break free from bondage.

Look at the Bonhoeffer quote above, then read the passage from Philippians underneath it.

Paul tells us that our citizenship is in another country besides this earthly domain. We don't belong here. Since we don't belong, why do we waste our time buying into the stuff of this place? Why do we bind ourselves to the stuff of earth?

Those who are Christ followers have a home that is not this mundane, temporary place. We have a home that is not fully realized yet, but it is one in which we can live to some degree right now. We don't have to wait for Independence Day or Christ's return, we can live abundantly now.

Okay, enough preaching. Here's the deal. We were meant to be free with heavenly freedom. We were not meant to be chained up here. Jesus didn't live, die, and get out of the grave just so I could have the latest laptop or so that my kids could enjoy the newest video games.

Jesus lived so that he could grant us true freedom. That freedom comes at a cost. As Dietrich Bonhoeffer says: "When Christ calls a man, he calls him to come and die."

As the popular cliche reminds us, freedom is not free.

Tonio K sings a song that I think is appropriate here. The song is entitled "You will go Free." Enjoy!

you've been a prisoner
been a prisoner all your life
held captive in an alien world
where they hold your need for love to your throat like a knife
and they make you jump
and they make you do tricks
they take what started off as such an innocent heart
and they break it and break it and break it
until it almost can't be found

well i don't know when
and it don't know how
i don't know how long it's gonna take
i don't know how hard it will be
but i know
you will go free

you can call it the devil
call it the big lie
call it a fallen world
what ever it is it ruins almost everything we try
it's the sins of the fathers
it's the choices we make
it's people screaming without making a sound
from prison cells in paradise
where we're chained to our mistakes

well i don't know when
and it don't know how
i don't know how much it's gonna cost you
probably everything
but i know
you will go free

you can't see your jailer
you can't see the bars
you can't turn your head round fast enough
but it's everywhere you are
it's all around you
and everywhere you walk this prison yard surrounds you

but in the midst of all this darkness
in the middle of this night
i see truth cut through this curtain like a laser
like a pure and holy light
and i know i can't touch you now
and i don't want to speak too soon
but when we get sprung
from out of our cages baby
god knows what we might do

well i don't know when
and it don't know how
i don't know if you'll be leaving alone
or if you'll be leaving with me
but i know
you will go free

Often this freedom comes when we surrender our selfish interests in order to care about the issues of others. Paul reminds us of this in Philippians 2 when he reminds us to look not only after our own interests, but also to concern ourselves with the interests of others. He calls us to have the same attitude as Jesus.

Jesus died for us to be free. Can we offer any less sacrifice for the freedom of others than to find a way to die to the things that bind us so that we can be free to serve the needs of others? Can we humble ourselves? If we can't, we won't be free!

Be like Jesus.

Be free.

Live humbly.

Do justice.

Thanks for reading!

Knowing Jesus

“God has made me bread for his elect, and if it be needful that the bread must be ground in the teeth of the lion to feed His children, blessed be the name of the Lord.” Ignatius

“We must be put to the flame before we can burn brightly. When we
cease to bleed, we cease to bless.” Anonymous

This morning my attention was drawn especially to Philippians 3:10, where Paul reminds his beloved friends that his goal is to know Jesus in the dynamic power of his resurrection, in the fellowship of his sufferings, and in the likeness of his death. That word translated “becoming like him” or “becoming conformed” to his death has me puzzled. Usually, folks note that this reference has to do with the Christian dying to the carnal nature, to the flesh. Yet, Jesus had no flesh or sin nature, did he?

I mean, to what death of Jesus am I being conformed?

Jesus’ death on a cross represents his personal humility, his willingness to take on my sin and sinfulness, his grace to take my place, his mercy. The cross is the place of sacrifice, a place where one loses all sense of self-importance or arrogance. It is a cruel instrument of death, a place where all humans are equal. I am called (or encouraged, at least) by Paul to “be conformed” to death on the cross. Jesus, the very glory and righteousness of God, willingly chose to become sin for me. That is the message of the cross.

Note also that as he died (innocently, I might add), he did not blame those around him. No cries of recrimination emitted from his mouth. No angry shouts of “It’s not fair!” or “I’ll get you for this!” No, on the cross there is only mercy.

Except for the quote of Psalm 22 (“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me!”), there is no indication on the cross that Jesus thought of his own situation. His focus was on the job at hand, on the salvation and mercy he was producing for others. His focus was on those around him—the two thieves, his mother, his disciples, even the angry mob. Jesus died on the cross with little or no thought about himself.

This, then, is the likeness of his death—-being willing to bear any burden, even death itself, for the benefit and blessing of others. As Paul says to Timothy, being conformed to the likeness of Jesus’ death is “being poured out” as an offering for others. Consider that, when you are tempted to cry out in dismay or to fight back in anger.

This is not an easy task to which we are called. In fact, this call is one of the most difficult things to which a child of God can aspire. But if I am to be a follower of Christ, how can I hope to attain to his resurrection power if I refuse to stoop to his humility? How can I hope to reign with him if I am unwilling to bleed with him? As Paul notes in Romans 8:18-19 "The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him."

Paul even tells the Philippians in chapter 2 that we should have the same attitude as Jesus, an attitude that includes looking out for the needs and interests of others in a humble manner while considering others as more important than ourselves. I don't mean a false humility that smiles inwardly as a person "pretends" to be unimportant outwardly. I mean a genuine unselfish approach that requires us to measure our worth by God's estimation and not our own. This humility is a recognition that God's business is more important than any other enterprise.

Being conformed to Jesus’ death means to endure willingly any sacrifice that may bring blessing, life, or salvation to another. It means placing my selfish desires on the altar of sacrifice to do what God asks in order that others may see his love, his grace, his salvation, his blessing. Are we willing? Can we do it? Even the great apostle later says in Philippians 3, “I have not yet attained to it, but I press on.” Press on today. Seek to be like Jesus. What would Jesus do? He’d die for you.

Thanks for reading!

Did you hear?

“Because the word that God speaks to us is always an incarnate word—a word spelled out to us not alphabetically, in syllables, but enigmatically, in events, even in books we read and movies we see—the chances are that we will never get it just right. We are so used to hearing what we want to hear and remaining deaf to what it would be well for us to hear that it is hard to break the habit. But if we keep our hearts and minds open as well as our ears, if we listen with patience and hope, if we remember at all deeply and honestly, then I think we come to recognize, beyond all doubt, that, however faintly we may hear him, he is indeed speaking to us, and that, however little we may understand of it, his word to us is both recoverable and precious beyond telling.” From Now and Then by Frederick Buechner

God seeks an audience. He is not speaking into the void just to hear his voice echo. He intends to be heard and to have a response. When God speaks, it is not a pompous, self-gratifying type of speech that increases his ego. Rather, God’s voice works with purpose, with a sincere hope that someone will hear and respond. Take the story of Adam and Eve as an example. After they ate the forbidden fruit, they hid themselves out of fear. What was God’s initial response? He came for his morning walk, looking for companionship and conversation. The omniscient God knew what had transpired that morning, yet still he came looking for his friends. Did he come in anger, in righteous indignation? No, he came seeking—“Adam, where are you? Are you there? I want to talk to you.” God spoke, and he expected a response.

God is still speaking these many centuries later. He speaks most clearly through the life of his Son Jesus and through the Scriptures he has given us. As Ambrose says, “As in Paradise, God is walking in the Holy Scriptures, seeking man.” God speaks to see if we will listen, to see if we will respond.

We have become so immersed in the noise of our age that we seldom “hear” God’s voice any more. Oh, his Spirit and abilities are still the same, but we have tuned our ears to a totally different wavelength of “white noise” that keeps us so preoccupied that we don’t even notice that God spoke to us. As Frederick Buechner notes above, God is still talking, and what he is saying is recoverable if we will listen. If we will really take time to listen.

How many of you have children? Do you ever have the feeling that your kids aren’t really “hearing” what you say? Their faces may register acknowledgement that your mouth moved or your voice sounded, but they aren’t “getting it.” I wonder sometimes if God doesn’t feel the same way. He speaks to us, even sometimes in the “white noise” of our lives, yet we don’t “hear” him. Like Adam and Eve, we record that God said something (“Oh, he said not to even touch that tree or else you would die, or something like that”), but we don’t catch the full ramifications or meaning of his words.

God speaks to me sometimes through movies. Yeah, that’s a little strange, but I often get a relevant message from God from the movies I watch (and I’m not just talking about “The Passion” either!). I remember when Lisa and I were dating, actually it may have been after we were married. At any rate, she wanted to see the Disney movie “The Lion King.” We found a theatre that was showing it and off we went. As I sat in that theatre, God spoke. When Mufasa chastised Simba for being forgetful of his ancestry, I heard the voice of God. “You have forgotten me and thus have forgotten who you are called to be.” I am called to be his child, of his nature, speaking his words, doing his deeds. I am called a priest, a king, a holy and precious possession of God. How then ought I to live?

I also remember watching "A Beautiful Mind" and wondering at the marvelous range of God's creation of humans. Here is a man whose mind works in such a way as to disrupt his life in bizarre ways, and yet the image of God is so strong in his person that he is able to sort out the "unreal" from the "real" in his life. He is able by diligent application of reason and thought to separate hallunications from reality. God made his mind that way! God created that ability! I mean, the guy could literally see things others couldn't, and over time he was even able to discern what was "reality" and what was not. What a marvelous creation! It was a reminder to me that God knit us together, he made us the way we are. We are lacking nothing physically to accomplish what God asks of us. We are fallen, yes, but we also have something of the image of God (the better angels of our nature). We stumble, yet we can also overcome. He made us so, and he longs to interact with us, to aid us in our journey to wholeness in his son, Jesus.

I wish I could say that these insights flash on my mind daily. They do not. God is certainly speaking daily, but sometimes I have such dull hearing or doubt the possibility of God’s communicating with me that I miss the conversation or completely misunderstand it. But there is hope—the same God who spoke the universe into existence is still speaking to me through various means. As Buechner says, if I listen, I will hear it, and what I hear will be beyond precious. Lord, help us to hear. Teach us the discipline of listening.

Thanks for reading!

Sad News . . . Jerry Falwell 1933-2007

Well, by now many of you have heard that the founder and chancellor of Liberty University, Dr. Jerry Falwell, went to be with the Lord today. Yes, the news is true. After 51 years of ministry, Dr. Falwell has completed his course and is at rest. I hope to write more in the next few days, but right now I am just a bit stunned at the news.

My heart hurts, but I am reminded of Isaiah 6 where Isaiah saw the Lord high and exalted on the day that Uzziah died. When people we respect pass away, the only proper response is to look to the One who made all of this possible. May Jesus give you peace and comfort as you need it!

“All God’s giants have been weak men, who did great things for God because they reckoned on his being with them.” J. Hudson Taylor

Thanks for reading!

Rich or simple?

“Consider that wonderful world of life in which you are placed, and observe that its great rhythms of birth, growth and death—all the things that really matter—are not in your control. That unhurried process will go forward in its stately beauty, little affected by your anxious fuss. Find out, then, where your treasure really is. Discern substance from accident. Don’t confuse your meals with your life, and your clothes with your body. Don’t lose your head over what perishes. Nearly everything does perish: so face the facts, don’t rush after the transient and unreal. Maintain your soul in quiet dependence on God; don’t worry; don’t mistake what you possess for what you are.” Evelyn Underhill, The House of the Soul and Concerning the Inner Life.

"But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Jesus, Matthew 6:20-21

Live simply, so that others may simply live.

I don’t remember where I first heard that simple little quote about the simple life, but it stuck with me. Not that I understood it or am even capable of properly appropriating and living it, but it stuck with me.

What does it mean?

Sometimes it makes me think of the rich young ruler in Luke 18. You remember the story. This fellow comes to Jesus and asks the important question—“What should I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus gives him a list of the laws—don’t lie, don’t steal, don’t murder, honor your father and mother, etc. The fellow claims that he has done just these things since his youth. Then Jesus starts to meddle.

Yes, Jesus looked into the eyes of the young fellow, looked deep into his heart, and knew just where to hit, just where to wound him.

“Go,” Jesus said, “and sell all of your stuff and give it to the poor. Then come and follow me.”

You know the story—the fellow left crestfallen. His spirit was crushed, his enthusiasm for eternal life was snuffed out, his desire to know the “way” was destroyed.

Right?

Well, not really, he left downhearted because he owned a lot of stuff. Or, more precisely, a lot of stuff owned him.

What can we learn here? Well, maybe we can begin to try to discern what we can do without. What is there in the “stuff” of your life that you just really don’t need? TV? Multiple pairs of shoes? Dozens of shirts and pants? More food than a small village can eat? Extra money in a bank account?

Does it feel like meddling?

When I hear the quote “Live simply so that others may simply live,” I am compelled to ask Jesus to look deeply into my rich heart and see what I can do without.

It is a question that causes fear in my heart even as I type the words. Do I really want to know what Jesus wants me to do with my stuff? What if he answers me like the young fellow in Luke 18? Will I walk away with disappointment?

What would happen to the world if the followers of Christ really loved him and his plans more than all of the stuff they had accumulated? What would happen?

What would happen if we loved the people Jesus asks us to love--the oppressed, the poor, the ones we try to avoid? What kind of world would it be if we gave time and treasure to love those that no one else will love?

Paul reminds us that the stuff of this earth is mundane and temporary, and yet we latch onto it as though it were the stuff of life itself (yes, I’m guilty too!).

But I can’t do without my stuff! Can I?

I think most of us in the good old USA could use a bit of discipline—maybe we should abstain from some of the stuff we think we need just to see if we can get along without it. Go one week without something. See if your mind sharpens and your focus becomes more exact.

It won’t be easy—God knows I have so much stuff to surrender that I’m not sure where to start. The payoff however will be worth it.

The less I’m focused here, the more I’ll be focused on what really matters—on Christ and his eternal plans, on following my Lord in loving the ones he loved and doing the things he did. Paul says that those things are long lasting and never wasting away. I need to pry myself loose from my mundane anchors in this world and get my sights set on something bigger and more amazing than the latest edition of CSI or the newest electronic gadget.

To do that requires rigor, discipline, and desire. Are we up to it?

I hope so! We don’t need any more rich young rulers.

May God give me the grace to cut loose the apron strings of this temporary existence so that I may more securely latch on to his unfailing hand.

Thanks for reading!

Waiting for morning . . . is that hope shining?

The past 10 days have been a bit of a blur. I've been a bit overwhelmed in my mind and heart by circumstances and events, some of which are quite beyond my control. I haven't quite been sure how to put things into perspective lately. Part of it is the busyness of my job and the constant pressure to produce something that will win the approval of others, but that isn't all. My heart still hurts for the Virginia Tech community, my mind swirls with a hundred possible scenarios to make that hurt go away, and yet I know that sometimes life just has pain. The hope that comes to me first looks a bit like the sun at dawn. It peeks over the fog and the dark clouds of the night. It seems almost timid, not sure whether or not to make its presence known. Then, the bright light pierces some part of the darkness. That little bit of light brightens the space, makes it seem lighter, more accessible.

Hope has been like that to me the past few days. By God's grace I see hope peeking into a dark time of life. The sun has not fully risen to its zenith, but there is a shaft of light shining into a dark place, making it livable and alive. In the midst of this darkness, I have taken solace in some music. One song that has encouraged me is "Take Me Away" by Sarah Kelly. It can be found on her album by the same name. Here are the lyrics:

no more weary teary eyes
just sunny skies
never have I felt so alone my how I've grown
maybe that's the way it's supposed to be as I'm walking down this
street
maybe if it's just you and me we'll never even miss a beat
maybe

Take me away
Take me away
All that I love is you, is you

captured by your love I'm such a fool for you
the day you laid your hand upon my heart tore my world apart
there's been so many times that I have prayed to hear you speak my
name
and though I've never seen you face to face I search for you everyday

Take me away
Take me away
All that I love is you, is you

come what will and come what may
I know your love will remain through the joy and through all the pain
I surrender and it makes me want to fly

Take me away
Take me away
All that I love is you, is you

I have this sense that God is there. He cares. I want to run away to him, to be in his lap for a few minutes. I want the ugliness of this fallen world to disappear, just for a minute. I want to experience the joy of Narnia without any evil.

I know that a day will come, a day unlike any other, a day when we can tread the streets with no names and find what we are looking for. That hope is what drives me today. I'm not depressed, I'm sad that the ugliness of this world necessitates the death of so many who are too young to die. This tragedy has touched many of us because of our human condition. We are finite. We are fallible. We are lost without hope and without peace. Tragedy reminds us that we are breakable. It reminds us that we are not in control. Tragedy treads upon our chosen utopias and reminds us that this isn't Eden anymore.

God has known tragedy. The day his Son Jesus died as an innocent for our guilt was a tragedy to him. He understands unspeakable loss. God through Christ experienced with and for us the tragic consequences of sin, of our utter sinfulness as humans. As the inhumanity of the snarling crowd tortured and put to death Jesus, God stood and watched. He accepted the wounds of that very personal tragedy so that he can offer us the comfort and joy of his presence and grace. Jesus made a way through tragedy for us to come freely and without payment to receive God's kindness. Yes, God understands tragedy.

The tragedy at Virginia Tech has left scars. It has left grief. It has left sorrow.

But God is beyond that tragedy. He is there. I turn to him, he is my hope. Without him, it just isn't worth the work, it isn't worth the effort, I'd just stay in bed. He cares. He loves. He gives me fresh mercy like the dew every morning. He will see us through even the hurts and wounds of life. He will give comfort. Jesus waits for us to come, to receive his embrace, to cry in his arms. He is ready to take us into the comfort of his presence.

No, the circumstances will not disappear, the hurt will not "magically" go away. Our circumstances may not change dramatically, but in his presence, in the arms of Jesus we will see our worth in his eyes, we will receive his love, his hope. God is in charge! He is not asleep at the wheel.

Thanks to God for this hope, thanks to God for his inexpressible gift!

The sun will rise, life will continue, good will happen. Joy comes in the morning. I look forward to joy.

Thanks for reading!

A Response to Tragedy and Grief

I sit here in my comfortable office and realize that my almost 3 years in Virginia have been at times chaotic. The month before I moved here, my father passed away after an extended illness.

Ten months after moving here my cousin (about 40) passed away unexpectedly. He wasn't sick, it just happened. He left a wife and kids.

Then in October 2005, a pastor friend in Waco passed away unexpectedly. He was electrocuted during a baptism. He was 33, had a wife and children. More grief!

In December 2005, a very dear friend died in Waco. He was 44, healthy, and died in his sleep. They still don't know what happened.

In the Spring of 2006, my aunt (the mother of the cousin above) passed away after a time in the hospital.

Then in the summer of 2006, one of my best friends died in a plane crash. More grief for a wife and children!

All of these tragedies and experiences of grief have been documented on my blog.

Then comes Monday, April 16. A sick person kills over 30 people on the campus of Virginia Tech, a school some 90 minutes from where I teach.

I'm numb again. I don't know how to respond. I mean, so many lives snuffed out in an instance, added to the pain I already felt in my own circle of friends.

How do you move on? What do you do?

I feel so (what's the word?) angry, upset, sad. . . . I'm not sure what to say.

The shock of hearing about these untimely deaths (is death ever timely?) is bad enough, but this sudden bit of bad news has hit me harder than I would have imagined. You see, grief came knocking on my door, and he was not expected. I wasn't prepared, I didn't know how to act or what to say. I'm experiencing grief again!

Grief often shows up at the most inopportune time. He is seldom a welcome guest and even more rarely an invited one. He walks in unannounced and tries to take over the household. Grief immobilizes you. It makes you stop and hurt. I guess grief is useful, but when you are experiencing it you just want it to stop. You want the uninvited pest to go away. A part of our lives were taken away without our permission!

Grief has come to us, he came uninvited. We will walk a while, probably in silence. At the end, we will still miss our friends, but hopefully we will cherish life more.

Grief is not my friend, but he helps in some ways, I guess. Grief came knocking on my door, and I didn't check to see who it was before I answered. Now Grief is a guest in my home again. How long he'll stay is anybody's guess. He'll leave quietly one day and the only evidence that he was there will be the memory of our missing friends and a few tear-filled tissues. Grief will go, but hopefully he will leave us wiser and more grateful.

Don't misunderstand me . . . I'm still confident in God's character.

I know God is faithful and good.

But this whole thing just seems so wrong.

I hate death.

Yes, I hate it.

On the day when Death and Hades are kicked into the bottomless pit, I will stand and cheer. I will dance about wildly, flinging my arms and body in all sorts of directions in praise of a great accomplishment--greater than any touchdown, homerun, or pay raise. I will celebrate madly the final death of Death. I long for the day.

Pray and grieve, that is the season for now.

Remember that your grief is not in vain. Let it work a good work in you. Don't use it as an excuse to turn to anger or bitterness, but rather use it as a reminder to cherish those around you more, to revel in the friendships, the relationships, the life you have today.

Let grief drive you to enjoy the good in life today! Let it push you to a kind and merciful God who knows how to see you through it.

Let grief be the tool that causes you to appreciate life.

Life is precious, God is reminding us to cherish it and nurture it.

I know, it is time to turn off the rant. You've heard enough. And besides, I'll probably revisit this topic later.

Remember to pray for the community of Virginia Tech and the friends and families who are hurting now. Remember to express your grief, to develop an appreciation for life.

You are precious. You matter. So does your grief!

Thanks for reading!

Sounds of silence

Silence, cold eerie silence.

In this post-modern day and age, we rarely find ourselves in a place that is so utterly silent as to be practically without sound. We are surrounded by noise—the chattering of talk radio, the booming of the latest music craze, even in the shopping centers and elevators of life we encounter the ever-present reminder of Muzac to keep us company. At work we are assaulted with myriads of sounds, from the boss handing out assignments to the response of the secretary or the ringing of the phone. Even the internet is now wired for sound so that you can search for the latest piece of news or information with surround sound convenience. We return home from work only to turn on our cable TV to act as a kind of “white noise” in the background of our family lives. Some of us even go to sleep with the latest tunes playing on the radio to soothe our tired souls and “give us rest.” Today a human can actually go from womb to grave completely surrounded by the music of their personal soundtrack. Surely we are rarely without noise in our lives!

In this post-modern life we seem to have grown afraid of silence. We avoid it. We try to fill it with something that will give “meaning” to the emptiness. Why do we do that? Why do we fill our lives with sound?

Could it be that we are afraid of what we may actually hear if we are silent?

Could we be afraid that we may hear nothing? That we may be drowning in silence?

I believe we have grown accustomed to sound as a substitute for genuine communication with the transcendent. We have blocked out the very voice of the cosmos with our sound track so that we do not have to give our souls pause and just listen.

When was the last time you listened, really listened, to nature around you? I heard a cardinal this morning, the bark of a dog, the jingling of my cat’s tags as he walked up the walk. It was so quiet I swear I could hear the sun groaning as it rose from its sleep!

I sat there, in silence. I listened. After a few seconds I grew jittery, even panicky. I really should be doing something, listening to something, “accomplishing” something worthwhile with my time.

I heard a voice, quiet and still—“Hush, be quiet. Be still and know . . . .” I listened, and in that silence I found a reverence for life that I hope only grows throughout the day. The quiet voice didn’t offer any startling revelations, but my basking in silence lent a kind of sacred feel to my morning. God was there. We had coffee. We sat quietly like two old friends for whom words would be a waste of effort. We silently toasted the beginning of a new day, and I felt as though the Almighty smiled at me. That stillness of that moment had created an almost “holy” space for the two of us to share. I know he was there. I long for a few more quiet moments with my Friend.

Shhh . . .

Listen. . .

Was that the whisper of his voice?

What's Love Got to Do with It?

In the spirit of Hebrews 10:24, I offer the following rant to incite others to love and good works. May we in this Easter season find ourselves like our Lord wrapping a towel of humility around our collective waists as we pursue the greatest job ever--loving those God has loved in a way that they do not expect.

Want more? Then read on brave soul!

Today as I was driving to work, I was listening to an old Dana Key CD (came out in 1995 with the title "Part of the Mystery"). Nothing to write home about, but he has one song on the album that really caught my attention. Let me share the lyrics of the song and a few thoughts with you all (if you don't mind). The song is "That's What Love is About." Here are the lyrics:

Kindra's bed is on the floor
Windows aren't safe
That's life in war

Sometimes through the night she counts
The times she hears the shots ring out
Kindra taught her self to steal
It's been three days since she's had a hot meal

Kindra's learning how to hate
Who'll save her life, before it's just too late
She's found an angel of mercy in her destiny
He said he came in the name of the Lord
Kindra don't pay me a thing

Chorus:
Pay with a smile or pay with a kiss
It's all a days work, that's what love is
Pay with a song or pay with a shout
It's part of my job cause
That's what love is about

Kindra's quite a lady now
Makes her home
In the south

Grateful for all that she's got
She's been blessed and owes a lot
She thinks back on her old life
Those tattered clothes, those tears at night

She hurts for that side of town
She's going back to lay her life down
They've got an angel of mercy in their destiny
She says she comes in the name of the Lord
Friend you don't owe me a thing (the girl said)

Chorus:
Pay with a smile or pay with a kiss
It's all a days work that's what love is
Pay with a song or pay with a shout
It's part of my job cause
That's what love is about

You really need to hear this song as it is played in all of its 90s glory, but I think that the basic ideas are obvious.

This song comes after a song entitled "Invisible Kingdom," a song that deals with the power of prayer and its seeming lack of prestige in today's society. Nonetheless, this song brings to mind certain things Jesus said about being a disciple of his.

Remember when Jesus took a child and set the child in the midst of his disciples? He encouraged his disciples to develop a child-like tendency to trust God (see Matthew 18:1-6). He says to them "Whoever humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, but whoever causes one of these little ones to stumble . . ." Well, you probably remember the rest.

Earlier Jesus had told his disciples that to offer others even a "cup of cold water" in the name of Christ was considered a good thing to do.

Jesus also encouraged and admonished his followers to serve one another, to outdo one another in being kind and in service.

"The one who serves is the greatest" says Jesus.

Do we really believe it?

I don't think so.

The reason that this song got my attention (I think) is that it reminded me of my call as a Christ-follower--I am to offer debt-free love and service to others with no expectation of reward.

I am to love as Christ loves.

I am to lay down myself so that someone else may live.

I am to live simply so that others may simply live.

That isn't the American dream, now is it?

What person in your community has gone three days without a hot meal? Who are the "little ones" in your area who are wounded, hurt, dispossessed?

Will you love Jesus enough to love them?

Steve Camp used to sing a song that said something like "Can we taste the tears that they cried?" The song deals with loving the unloveable, embracing the unembraceable, touching the untouchable.

Jesus did that. He walked right up to people with leprosy. He put his clean hands on their decaying flesh. He touched them. He loved them.

Will we?

Who are our modern day lepers? Are they the drug addicts? The alcoholics? The divorcees? The liberal democrats? The conservative republicans? The victim of cancer, aids, etc.?

Are they the orphans of war? The ones left behind by our refusal to care?

Finding them isn't hard--they are out there.

Loving them is harder. They may even share a home with us.

May we learn today to offer debt-free love and service. Like Jesus may we learn to take joy in the smiles and laughter we receive. May we even be willing to be killed by those we love, even while we love them anyway.

I'm sorry this topic seems heavy. I didn't mean it to be so hard.

I'm under conviction.

Thanks for reading!

Shhh, did you hear that?

In my readings today I saw how God answers Job and I read Peter’s description of how God produces salvation through faith and perseverance. Job has always fascinated me for several reasons. First, his sheer audacity and boldness in challenging God is amazing. Sure, his circumstances were not so good, and yes, God could have stopped them. Yet, Job was determined to have God hear his complaint.

I know I do that myself, though in my false humility I tend to think that I’m not as arrogant as I perceive Job to be. That lie is obvious in God’s response to Job in chapter 38—“Where were you, Job?” It’s a question that reverberates throughout Scripture. God asks a similar question to Adam and Eve, to Moses, to the prophets (especially Ezekiel), and in many ways to other people.

It is a legitimate question—where were you when God was planning things and making provisions for all the events of your life? Were you on an ash heap, scraping sores and complaining to your “friends?” Or were you hiding in the fig trees, covering up the sin that has been uncovered by your sinful acts? Or were you hiding in a cave, depressed because you were the only child of God left standing for the truth? Where were you, o Job?

God never sleeps, he watches over his creation to provide grace and provision for it every day. While we were nodding off, God was providing. While we caught 20 winks, God made it rain, brought the sun up, set up circumstances for your life so that today his grace would abound to you. God, how foolish of us to think we somehow had better plans than you. We all believe that sometimes, and it is as stupid as it is audacious.

The second thing I like about Job is his humility. Oh, he could be bold in complaint, but when accosted by the truth, he was humble enough to shut up. God shows up and essentially tells Job—“Child, I’m God and you’re not.” God speaks to Job out of a whirlwind, and I wonder how he and his friends felt when it showed up. Were they morbidly curious, frightened, excited, or just downright confused? I think sometimes that I want God to “give me a sign,” to show up and do something amazing. Yet when he appears, often it is in the quiet whisper or in the whirlwind life of everyday activities. And, here is the really odd part, that is the time I tend to miss him.

Yes, I miss it when God whispers to me because too often I am complaining too loudly to listen. Then he comes when life is hectic and I’m too busy to notice. Lord, give us the wisdom of Elijah and Job to sit still when you show up. Teach us to listen in silent adoration as you speak words of life to us. How we need your Spirit to protect our hearts and minds, to guide us in the way everlasting. Father, be the center of our activity today. No matter what ash heap or cave we find ourselves in today, help us to be attentive to your communications and to your presence.

Pay attention today--God may be whispering to you.

He may be shouting.

Listen.

Thanks for reading!

Faithful in hard times

1 Thess 5:23-25

23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.
25 Brethren, pray for us. NASU

Job 5:17-27

17 "Behold, how happy is the man whom God reproves,
So do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.
18 "For He inflicts pain, and gives relief;
He wounds, and His hands also heal.
19 " From six troubles He will deliver you,
Even in seven evil will not touch you. . .
27 "Behold this; we have investigated it, and so it is.
Hear it, and know for yourself." NASU

Faithful--God is faithful to finish what he starts.

Faithful--God is faithful to stand with us in our hour of desperation.

Faithful--God will not fail, he will not give up.

Faithful--if God has called us, he will complete that calling in us. He finishes what he starts (see Isaiah 66:9).

Think of Adam & Eve, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Gideon, Samson, Deborah, Barak, David, Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel, Habakkuk, Jonah, Amos, Hosea, Jesus, the apostles, James, John, Peter, and Paul.

Think of poor young Timothy--his spiritual "father" Paul just died--he had his head removed by the Romans for preaching Christ. And there sits Timothy. He arrived at the prison, the final home of Paul, but Timothy arrived just a bit too late. "Come before winter" Paul requested. Timothy hurried to Rome with parchments and supplies, only he arrived too late. Paul was dead.

We might be tempted to ask Timothy--"Is God really faithful? Does God finish what he starts?"

Tear stained eyes look up at us. A smile shows on a face that was just a moment ago contorted with grief.

"Is God faithful?" Timothy responds incredously. He looks at us like we had three heads. "Of course God is faithful!" the disciple of Paul exclaims.

But, we might ask, you just lost your friend, your spiritual father. He is dead, gone, his life ingloriously snuffed out by the mad man Nero. Where is God's faithfulness in all of that?

Remember, dear reader, that God's constant faithfulness is not a guarantee against harm or even hard times. Paul knew that, and he knew the risks. But Paul was confident that God would empower him for the task at hand. He even wrote to dear Timothy--"If we are faithless, God is faithful" (2 Timothy 2:13).

Why is God faithful? Paul tells us it is because God cannot deny himself! God is always true to his own character.

Paul also reminded his disciple that hard times would come since "those who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted" (2 Timothy 3:2). In the midst of the storm, God is unable to deny his own essential nature of covenant love, of covenant fidelity, of faithfulness.

If God suddenly became unfaithful, the universe would literally fly apart at the seams, the world would cease spinning, the moon would crash into the ocean, life would cease, the sun would be snuffed out, the universe would cease its almost infinite growth. God can no more be unfaithful than a human can sprout wings or develop gills. God IS faithful because he is God! God does not change!

So, friend, what trial of darkness are we experiencing? Is it one of our own making, the result of mistakes and missteps in life? Is it an accident, simply the ebb and flow of life? Is it the result of righteousness?

I'll tell you a secret--it doesn't matter where it originated--God is faithful still! Romans 8:28 is still in effect.

Have we blown it? Hundreds of times no doubt! We need to make things right and remember--God works all things together for good.

Have you been treated badly for some good thing you've done? Be glad and remember that all things work together for good. Your present circumstances do not hinder God's faithfulness. God does not falter because your situation is too BIG.

GOD IS FAITHFUL!

For God to be unfaithful, he would have to deny himself. And that, dear friend, will never happen.

Thank you, God, for your steady commitment to us. Thank you for being constant and unmoving in your love for us. Thank you for your kindness that leads us to repent and for your faithfulness that calls us to faith. Thank you for the life and example of Jesus. Teach us to live as he lived. Thanks for listening to us!

Thank you, dear reader, for reading!

A reality TV show reminds me that God will turn mourning into dancing, ashes to beauty . . .

Last night my wife and I watched with anticipation as the TV show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition built a home for the Tate family on Davis Island in Floriday. The Tates lost their home in a tragic accident last June when a plane crashed into their home and burned it down. They had no insurance and could not rebuild. The new home built by ABC is no doubt a blessing, and I think the Tates not only appreciate it but deserved it.

What was not well covered by ABC, however, is the fact that another family suffered loss in that tragedy. The Huisman family lost husband and father, Steve Huisman. His wife, Sonya, was left a widow with four children to raise. Although I know that Sonya does not expect ABC to do anything for her, I think it would have been a good thing for Ty and the crew to at least attempt to bless this family that lost a breadwinner, a father, and a husband all in on tragic event.

Of course, I am kind of biased because Steve Huisman was a good friend to me. One of the best friends I have ever had. I wanted my new readers to know his story, so I'm linking two posts form last June to this entry. They pretty adequately sum up how I am feeling today as I remember the loss of my friend.

Please pray for the Huismans as you read these posts. They can be found at these URLs: http://beyond-the-wardrobe.blogspot.com/2006/06/in-memoriam.html and http://beyond-the-wardrobe.blogspot.com/2006/06/and-now-song-from-jennifer-knapp.html.

Thanks for reading!

What is on the CD player?

Right now I am in an '80s rock mood, so I'm listening to some good old Christian bands from that era, including:

1. Petra
2. DeGarmo and Key
3. Servant
4. Rez Band

Thanks for reading!

What is Truth?

I just left my philosophy class. We talked there about how things attract us and about what "attractive" is. We did not come to a satisfactory conclusion, but on my walk back from the class room, I engaged in a bit of reflection and thought. I thought about truth. Please indulge me a bit as I share my rambling thoughts on this topic.

The Gospel of John uses "truth" a lot. Pilate even asks that famous question above in John 18:38, just after Jesus said that he had come to testify of the truth. So, what is truth?

Peter Kreeft says that truth is saying about what is that it is, that truth is saying what is real. Ronald Nash says that truth is "a property of propositions that correspond to the way things are." Andreas Koestenberger says that telling the truth is representing the facts accurately. Some in today's post-modern world would claim that truth is in the eye of the beholder, that it is a personal possession determined by the independent individual.

John's Gospel presents truth in this way--in chapter 1, verse 14, he describes the Incarnation as an event in which God's self-revelation (i.e., the Word) became flesh and lived among humans. This Incarnated Revelation of God is described as full of grace and truth. If truth is the way things actually are, then God's Word was full of reality, full of what is. Jesus is later represented as saying of himself that he is "the way, the truth, and the life" by which means alone can individuals come to have a relationship with God.

John describes Jesus as truth.

Think about that. He is the sum total of all propositions that correspond to the way things actually are, he is the great representation of reality, he is what is real!

He is Truth.

Truth in this sense (not the post-modern one) is an absolute standard to which all of reality is ultimately compared. Something then is true or real only insofar as it accurately corresponds to what Jesus is and what Jesus reveals about God.

If it is not true, it is not Jesus.

Any aspect of my life that does not correspond to Christ, that does not reflect his character is false. It is not true. It is a lie.

My mother used to say the "the truth is true." While this syllogism may have its share of logical problems, it is nonetheless accurate. What is true is real. It is true.

According to John's Gospel, Jesus is the final standard or measuring rod by which reality is judged.

If it isn't Jesus, it isn't true.

That hurts a bit as I look at my own life. How much of the stuff that I entertain as "real" is actually false when compared to Jesus? What lies do I continue to live while claiming to know the truth?

In John 17 Jesus prays to God that he will sanctify Jesus' followers in the truth. Jesus adds "your (God's) word is truth."

I think I understand the Psalmist now. In Psalm 139:6 he says "such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is too high, I cannot attain to it."

I am boggled by this idea--if it does not correspond with Jesus, then it is false.

How much have I allowed in my life that is not "real" or "true"?

I'm afraid to try to answer honestly!

What is truth?

Think about it.

Thanks for reading!

Some C. S. Lewis Quotes

"The central story of my life is about nothing else . . . I call it Joy. . . . It might equally well be called a particular kind of unhappiness or grief. But then it is the kind we want. . . . All Joy reminds. It is never a possession, always a desire for something longer ago or further away or still about to be." Surprised by Joy

"In reading Chesterton, as in reading MacDonald, I did not know what I was letting myself in for. A young man who wishes to remain a sound Atheist cannot be too careful about his reading. There are traps everywhere--'Bibles laid open, millions of surprises . . . fine nets and strategems.' God is, if I may say it, very unscrupulous." Surprised by Joy

Thanks for reading!

What I am listening to this week . . .

Here are the CDs in my player at the moment:

1) U2--All that you can't leave behind

2) Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians--Shooting Rubberbands at the Stars

3) Louis Armstrong--The Jazz Collector Edition

4) Jazz for the Quiet Times

5) U2--Rattle and Hum

Thanks for reading!

What kind of reader are you?

I took an on-line quiz and discovered what kind of reader I am. Here is the result:

What Kind of Reader Are You? Your Result: Obsessive-Compulsive Bookworm You're probably in the final stages of a Ph.D. or otherwise finding a way to make your living out of reading. You are one of the literati. Other people's grammatical mistakes make you insane.
Dedicated Reader
Literate Good Citizen
Book Snob
Non-Reader
Fad Reader
What Kind of Reader Are You? Create Your Own Quiz

Go have a try yourself!

Thanks for reading!

What if you had no reputation?

Philippians 2:5-9 NASU
5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

This passage may not usually be associated with Christmas, but for some reason that is how it comes to me this season. Look closely at the passage above, then read the quote from The Jesus Style by Gayle D. Erwin below.

“Christ Jesus . . . made himself nothing.

“He made himself nothing, he emptied himself—the great kenosis. He made himself no reputation, no image.

“I can recall my father shaking his head and repeating over and over to himself, ‘If only I knew what this meant. There is something powerful here. If I only understood it.’ Maybe that is why this Scripture has glued itself to my mind and equally disturbs me. Reputation is so important to me. I want to be seen with the right people, remembered in the right light, advertised with my name spelled right, live in the right neighborhood, drive the right kind of car, wear the right kind of clothing. But Jesus made himself of no reputation.”

Christmas in America means lots of things to lots of people. For some it becomes a political event that pits “the true meaning of Christmas” against the bias of some against religion. For others Christmas is just another time to visit dysfunctional families and to pretend to get along with each other. For others Christmas is a season that involves incredible profits (or expenses) and lots of activities. For still others Christmas is simply a winter break, a time to regroup for a new year.

I know I’ve left a big group out! There are those who see Christmas as the celebration of the birth of the world’s Savior.

But I want to twist the prism a bit and look at Christmas from a different angle. Almost all of the views above look at Christmas from the perspective of what humans gain from the season. I wonder if we can look at the season as something we can offer to others, a gift of sorts.

This passage from Philippians reminds me that Christmas for Jesus wasn’t about what he would gain. In fact, he lost just about everything! He left the comfort of his Father’s place, he became a tottering, dribbling little baby, he had to learn to talk, to walk, to eat, he left his riches behind for the poverty of a manger, and ultimately he would even become sin, something he had never experienced. As Paul says, he made himself of no reputation.

Imagine what Christmas would be like this year if those of us who follow Jesus would do as Paul admonishes here and have this approach to the season. What would Christmas look like if we didn’t care about what we got out of it?

Ronald Reagan is credited with the saying “There is no telling what you can accomplish if you don’t care who gets the credit.”

We don’t like that approach though, do we? We kick against it! I mean, we deserve to be recognized, don’t we?

You came up with the idea that made the company money, shouldn’t you be rewarded? Maybe you found a problem and fixed it, and that fix saved someone’s job. Shouldn’t you be shown gratitude? Maybe you did some kindness for someone you knew couldn’t pay you back, shouldn’t you get credit for that?

Don’t we all think that we should be center stage, center of the world, the most important person in the world?

How many times have you heard “I quit going to that church because MY needs weren’t being met”?

No reputation.

Let that sink in.

NO Reputation!

No fame, no credit, no automatic acceptance, no celebrities, and no place where who you know or what you know earns you admittance.

Jesus made himself of no reputation.

Ouch!

We love our awards, the acceptance of others, the glamour of being “somebody,” or the wonderful happiness of fame, don’t we?

“Don’t neglect me” is the motto of many in our society and our churches.

The motto of Christ and his followers is “No reputation.”

God chooses such people to further his agenda. Will we be involved or do we like our perks too much?

What can you do this Christmas season that will bless others and garnish no reputation for you?
Will we do it?

Thanks for reading!

My Annual Christmas Post

Hey y'all:

Here is a little meditation I wrote about 3 years ago that sums up for me what is the "Mystery of Christmas." I hope you enjoy this rerun!

A little over 2000 years ago, a tiny child was born in the bleakest of conditions. Oh, he wasn’t the only one born in a bad state. In fact, in some ways, he was one of the lucky ones. He and his mother actually survived childbirth and thrived. Still, this story is unique and amazing on several levels.

First, this child would literally change the way time is reckoned in the world. His life and abilities would so impress generations of others that a brand new movement would be created, one that would radically change the very face of the earth (sometimes for good, sometimes for bad). His name would become recognized among the names of the greatest of humans, yet he never forgot his humble beginnings or lost a sense of who he was.

The second thing about this child is tied to the first in that this baby, this helpless lad full of spittle and mush, was born as the very Son of God. When Mary held his little head to her breast, he drank human milk. Yet, he was (and is) the God of the universe. Can you picture this simply ridiculous, yet somehow poetic scene? God, who calls the stars by name, pressed to the human breast for sustenance. Humble, yet almighty, is how most folks would no doubt recall this child.

A little over 2000 years ago, God proposed that the only remedy for the human condition of sin would be if he humbled himself, stepped out of eternity and into human flesh, and suckled at Mary’s breast in preparation for the greatest, most impressive conversion of all. God, in Mary’s arms, toddling around Joseph’s shop, learning to talk, learning to walk, tasting and touching things with human hands. As the Psalmist says in Psalm 139, “such knowledge is too wonderful for us, we cannot contain it.”

God knew that the only way to redeem us was if he did it himself. Haven’t you ever had that thought? You know, the one where you say, “If I want something done right, I’ll just have to do it myself?” Imagine God having that thought about bringing us back to proper relationship with him. Imagine again that the only way he knew he could do that is if he came to earth as a baby. Think of it—how vulnerable the almighty God was at that moment, how paradoxical that the God of all creation had to learn to walk! And why did he put himself in this situation? Out of his inexpressible love for each of us he acted in this manner.

He became insane that we may be sane. He became flesh so that we might walk in the Spirit. He became sin that we might be righteous. He became poor so that we might be rich. He became a toddling, dribbling, helpless babe so that we could become mature humans in the image of almighty God. What wondrous love! What humility and service! How then can anything he asks of us be too difficult?

Lord, in this Christmas season, remind me of your sacrifice and love so that I might be a light shining in darkness to others. May the grace of God and the peace of Christ rule in my family and my life.

Thanks for reading!

God's goodness, our gratitude

Ps 145:8-10 NLT

8 The LORD is kind and merciful,
slow to get angry, full of unfailing love.
9 The LORD is good to everyone.
He showers compassion on all his creation.
10 All of your works will thank you, LORD,
and your faithful followers will bless you.

2 Co 4:11-12 NASU

11 For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So death works in us, but life in you.

Today I am reminded of God's graciousness and mercy. He is good to all, not to just a "righteous remnant." Daily Jesus bestows on all of us some kind of goodness and mercy, and we either thank God for it or turn blind eyes away from the light of God's Son.

As Paul says in 2 Corinthians, people's eyes often are blinded by the enemy of their souls so that even when God's Word is read, they have a veil over their eyes and cannot see the truth. Therefore they fail to bless God for the goodness or mercy bestowed.

The godly, however, should not react in this way. They should speak of God's goodness, mercy, mighty works, kingdom, etc. God's people should recognize his mercy and grace quickly and readily. Why? Because God "has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ" (2 Cor. 4:6).

Experience, however, often shows that it is God's very own "chosen" people who ignore or overlook his grace and goodness. Why? Because we have not learned to allow our selves to be given over to death so that Christ's life might be manifested in us.

What is required? 1) Death to the recognition of ourselves as in any way the originator of any "good" in our life--we couldn't produce those things if our lives depended on it (and, in a sense, they do!). 2) Death to an ungrateful or unthankful heart or attitude. Oxygen is as much a gift from God as life, health, riches, etc., but we often complain about our situation using the very oxygen from God that is freely given to us so that we can breath and talk! 3) Grace is needed. 4) The life of Christ is needed--this comes by virtue of God's grace, but we have to accept it. 5) A thankful heart is needed--this requires effort of our own. God will not give it (although he'll be happy to teach us how to obtain one by giving us difficult circumstances through which we can practice gratitude!).

All of this is to say that we all have reasons to be grateful. Perhaps it is time we acted like we were grateful.

Thanks for reading!